Garment supporter



March 10, 1936. s. N. COULTER GARMENT SUPPORTER Filed May 19; 1933 A/lomeyg Patented Mar. 10, 1936 GARMENT SUPPORTER Samuel N. Coulter, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 19, 1933, Serial No. 671,852

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a garment supporter, and while the improvement can be embodied in suspenders or any other type of garment support, in the present specification invention is described as applied to a garter of suspension type. Such garters must be adjustable, and for this reason, they usually involve the use of a buckle. These buckles are usually cumbersome and have considerable thickness, and are apt to be uncomfortable when worn. Furthermore, they usually necessitate the use of a hinge connection, and the use of a spring or its equivalent for forcing two jaws together to grip the garter band or strap. The general object of this invention is to produce a garment supporter of this general type, which is substantially fiat, and so constructed that it can be readily adjusted, but which avoids the necessity for employing a hinge connection or a spring.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a device of this nature, which will operate to support a band such as a garter suspended from it, and constructed in such a way that when tension exists in the supported band, this tension automatically clamps the band in the device.

A further object of the invention is to construct a supporter in such a way that the buckle will not be uncomfortable in contact with the flesh of the person wearing the supporter; and also to construct the ends of the buckle so that they will not present an edge which might scratch the skin of the person wearing the support.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efficient garment supporter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation of the garment support embodying my invention, and illustrating the lower edge of an upper garment to which the supporter is attached.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the supporter with the upper and lower portions of the straps or bands broken away.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and passing through the buckle.

Figure 4 is a plan of the clamping plate, that is to say, looking down upon its upper edge.

Figure 5 is an elevation showing the buckle of Figure 8 is a vertical section corresponding to 10 Figure 3, but illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 9 is a front elevation, broken away, of the supporter illustrated in Figure 8, but with the garter strap removed. 15

Referring more particularly to the parts, I indicates a band or strap provided at its lower end with a detachable fastener 2 of any suitable construction such as that illustrated for fastening a lower garment such as hose, to the lower end 20 of the strap or band. The strap or band i, has a loop 3 at its upper end, which is supported on a buckle 4 embodying my invention, said buckle being provided with means for supporting it on an upper garment 5, such as a girdle or corset. 25 If desired, the buckle may be supported on a loop 6 of fabric, sewed to the lower edge of the supporting garment 5, or if desired, the upper edge of the buckle can be sewed directly to the garment 5. The buckle 4 includes a body piece or 30 body plate I, the preferred form of which is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. This body piece or body plate is preferably formed of light plate material, the upper portion of which is of substantially rectangular form, and the lower por- 35 tion of which is offset to form a jaw 8. At this jaw, the material of the plate is preferably. bent into an arc, so that the jaw presents a convex face 9 on the inner side, that is to say, on the side that is located toward the body, the surface 40 of which is indicated by the dotted line Ill. The lower edge of this jaw therefore, projects in an outwardly and downwardly inclined direction, and is preferably provided with small serrations or teeth H. The upper portion of the plate I may 45 be provided with a slot l2 to enable it to be hung on the loop 6, for attachment to the garment 5. Cooperating with the body plate I, I provide a clamping plate l3, which is preferably of elongated form, and this plate is constructed so as to 50 enable it to be hung on the body plate 1, without employing a hinge connection. For this purpose the clamping plate is preferably provided with an upper bar M, which enables the clamping plate to hang on the body plate in the manner indi- 55 cated in Figure 3. Below the bar I4 2. slot or gap I 5 is formed, which is sufiiciently long to enable the clamping plate to be passed down over the upper portion of the body plate I. The body plate is provided with means for supporting the clamping plate at about the location of the jaw 8. In order to support the clamping plate in this way, I prefer to provide projections on the ends of the body plate, and this supporting means for the clamping plate is preferably formed by shaping the jaw 8 with extensions or projections I5 at its ends. (See Fig. 5.) When the clamping plate is slipped down over the body plate as suggested, the projecting ends I6 of the jaw engage with the ends I I of the clamping plate and support it. The lower portion I8 of the clamping plate, is preferably in the form of a bar similar to the bar I4, which forms the upper part of this plate. This clamping plate is preferably offset so that the plane of the upper bar I4 is out of line with the plane of the lower bar I8. (See Fig. 3.) This enables the clamping plate to adapt itself to the jaw 8, so that when the clamping plate is hung on the body plate, the bar I8 will be disposed back of, and out of vertical alignment with, the lower part of the bar I 4. This insures that if a downward pull is exerted upon the bar I8, this will tend to rock the bar on the edge Ma. of the bar I4 as a fulcrum, (see Fig. 3), and this will cause the loose end I9 of the band I, which hangs from the loop 3, to be clamped securely betweeen the bar I8 and the serrations II of the jaw. If desired, these serrations I I may be omitted, but they increase the efiiciency of the clamping action that occurs between the jaw 8 and the clamping plate.

In order to adjust the length of the band of strap I, it is merely necessary to release the tension upon it, whereupon the material can be run freely through the slot or eye I 5 in the clamping plate. As soon as tension is developed again in the band I, the material of the band will be firmly clamped against the jaw 8.

By reason of the fact that the convex face 9 of the jaw is located toward the body, the device can be worn without any discomfort whatever. In order to prevent any possibility of the ends of the jaw 8 tending to scratch the skin of ones body, the plate at the ends of the jaw, is bent away from the body. (See Fig. 6.) In other words, at each end of the jaw, a convex face 20 is formed, which is curved like the convex face 9, and it is also preferable that the serrations I! shall not continue the entire length of the edge of the jaw on which they are formed. (See Figure 6.)

It is evident that the buckle of this garment support is of very simple construction, involv ing simply two pieces. It avoids the necessity for forming a permanent hinge connection between the two parts. It is not bulky, as it takes up very little more space than the thickness of the two plates. Furthermore, whatever projections are formed on the buckle, are disposed on the inner side, so that the presence of the buckle can hardly be detected from the outer side when this supporter is worn.

In order to reduce wear on the folded edge of the supporting loop, I may strike the metal back as indicated in Fig. 3, to form a folded edge I2a.

In the clamping position of the clamping plate, it is preferable to have the lower portion of the plate substantially vertical. This prevents any tendency of the grip of the buckle on the strap to loosen up if the strap I is swung laterally, as indicated by an arrow in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 8 I illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which a body plate I91) is provided with a slot 281), at the upper edge of which the teeth 28a are formed projecting rearwardly or toward the wearers body. This plate may be secured directly to the supporting garment. The clamping plate 2| preferably has a cross-section substantially as shown. It is inserted from above through the slot 201), its lower end forming an apron 22 that inclines slightly away from the plane of the plate I9. The garter strap 23 passes up from below over this apron, through the slot 281) and forms a loop 24 over the upper edge of the clamping plate, so that the loose end 25 hangs down on the inner side of the strap 23. With this construction it is evident that when the tension that supports the hose is exerted in the strap 23, this force will produce pressure against the apron 22, tending to rock it toward the lower edge of the plate I9. This will swing the upper portion of the clamping plate 2I against the teeth 28 and clamp the strap in position.

While this embodiment of the invention is very desirable because the metal parts of the buckle are concealed by the strap, there would be a tendency for the clamping plate to fall out of the slot 281) by reason of the great amount of metal in the clamping plate that is located on the inner side of the plate I 9b. For this reason, it is advantageous to provide the apron 22 of this clamping plate, with a small projection or spur 28 at each end. These projections should be bent inwardly on a line coinciding with the end edges 21 of the apron, to enable the apron to be passed down through the slot 20b. After doing this, the spurs 26 would be bent out fiat again, as indicated in Figure 9. The upper end of the clamping plate 2! should have end projections 28, which also give the upper end of the plate too great a width to permit it from becoming dislodged from the slot 28.

If desired, the ends of the clamping plate I3 may be crimped in an outward direction, as indicated in Figure 4, so as to form convex faces I la toward the wearers body. This prevents any plg s sibility of the ends of this plate scratching the s 1n.

In Figure 7 I illustrate a modified embodiment for the plate I3, in which the entire plate is formed of an elongated eye 29 of stout wire, the

lower bar of the eye being flattened down to form,

a flat bar 38'. In using this plate the round upper bar 3| rests easily on the upper side of the jaw 8, and by reason of its round form, it permits the lower portion 38 of this plate to swing readily toward the teeth I I of the jaw. In this form of the plate 29 the upper bar 3| is split at its middle point 32. is formed by bending a straight bar of stout wire a: rzidicated, with the ends of the bar abutting a It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein, is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiments set forth.

What I claim is:

1. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body piece adapted to be supported from an upper garment, said body piece having a jaw formed thereupon, a clamping member having a slot therein of greater length than the width In other words, the elongated eye 29 of said body piece, the faces of said body piece being unobstructed so as to enable the walls of the slot of the clamping member to pass downwardly over said body piece from the upper end thereof, said body piece having projecting means unattached to the clamping member to support said clamping member adjacent said jaw, said clamping member resting by gravity on the projecting means, and a band having a loop extending through said slot and having its body portion disposed on the side of the clamping member remote from said jaw, so that when tension is exerted in the body of said band, the lower portion of the clamping member will clamp the material of said band against said jaw.

2. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body piece adapted to be supported from an upper garment, said body piece having a jaw formed thereupon, a clamping plate having a slot therein of greater length than the width of said body piece, the faces of said body piece being unobstructed so as to enable the walls of the slot of the clamping plate to pass downwardly over the said body piece from the upper end thereof, said body piece having projecting means adjacent said jaw unattached to the clamping plate for supporting said clamping plate, said clamping plate resting by gravity on said projecting means, and a band having a loop extending through said slot and having its body portion disposed on the side of the clamping plate remote from said jaw so that when tension is exerted in the body of said band, the lower portion of the clamping plate will clamp the material of the band against said jaw.

3. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body piece adapted to be supported from an upper garment, said body piece having a jaw formed thereupon, a clamping plate having a slot therein of greater length than the width of said body piece, the faces of said body piece being unobstructed so as to enable the walls of the slot of the clamping plate to pass downwardly over said body piece from the upper end thereof, said body piece having projecting means adjacent said jaw unattached to the clamping plate for supporting said clamping plate, said clamping plate resting by gravity on said projecting means, and a band having a loop extending through said slot and having its body portion disposed on the side of the clamping plate remote from said jaw so that tension exerted in the body of said band will force the clamping plate against the body piece and clamp the material of the band against said jaw, said clamping plate having its upper portion offset from the plane of its lower portion.

4. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body piece adapted to be supported from an upper garment, said body piece having a jaw formed thereon, a clamping plate having a slot therein of greater length than the width of said body piece, the faces of said body piece being unobstructed so as to enable the walls of the slot of the clamping plate to pass downwardly over said body piece from the upper end thereof, said body piece having projecting means projecting at its ends unattached to the clamping plate for supporting the clamping plate from below, and adjacent the jaw, and a band having a loop extending through said slot and having its body portion disposed on the side of the clamping plate remote from said jaw.

5. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body piece adapted to be supported from an upper garment, said body piece having a jaw formed thereupon, a clamping plate having a slot therein of greater length than the width of said body piece, the faces of said body piece being unobstructed so as to enable the walls of the slot of the clamping plate to pass downwardly over the said body piece from the upper end thereof, said body piece having projections at its ends constituting extensions of said jaw unattached to said clamping plate for supporting the clamping plate from below, and a band having a loop extending through said slot and having its body portion disposed on the side of the clamping plate remote from the jaw.

6. The combination of a body plate having means for supporting the same, said body plate having an offset lower portion forming a jaw with a serrated lower edge, and a clamping plate having a bar at its lower edge for supporting the loop of a band and having a bar at its upper edge supported on the body plate, said clamping plate having a gap between the bars of greater length than the maximum width of the body plate, enabling the clamping plate to be slid down over the body plate from the. upper end, said clamping plate having its lower portion located opposite the serrated edge of the jaw.

7. The combination of a body plate having means for supporting the same, said body plate having a jaw formed thereupon adjacent its lower edge, and a clamping plate having a slot of greater length than the maximum width of the body plate and enabling the clamping plate to be slipped down over the body plate from its upper end and hung on the body plate adjacent the said jaw, said clamping plate having its lower portion located opposite to said jaw to cooperate therewith, said jaw having a convex face on its inner face toward the body of the person wearing the device, and having ends with convex faces to prevent the jaw from scratching ones skin.

8. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body plate for attachment to a support, and having a slot, an ofiset clamping plate hung in the slot, said clamping plate having an apron formed at its lower end, and supported at the lower edge of the slot so as to rock thereon, and a strap, the body whereof hangs downwardly across the said apron, said strap passing upwardly in a loop hung over the upper edge of the clamping plate, the tension in the body of the strap operating to force the upper end of the clamping plate toward the body plate and thereby clamp the strap between the upper portion of the clamping plate and the body plate above the slot.

9. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body plate for attachment to a support, and having a slot, an oiTset clamping plate hung in the slot, said clamping plate having an apron formed at its lower end, and supported at the lower edge of the slot so as to rock thereon, and a strap, the body whereof hangs downwardly across the said apron, said strap passing up- Wardly in a loop hung over the upper edge of the clamping plate, the tension in the body of the strap operating to rock the clamp-ing plate as a lever on its supporting point and clamp the strap between the upper portion of the clamping plate and the body plate above the slot, said apron extending downwardly in a direction inclined to the plane of the body plate.

10. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body plate for attachment to a support, and having a slot, an offset clamping plate hung in the slot, said clamping plate having an apron formed at its lower end, and supported at the lower edge of the slot so as to rock thereon, and a strap, the body whereof hangs downwardly across the said apron, said strap passing upwardly in a loop hung over the upper edge of the clamping plate, the tension in the body of the strap operating to rock the clamping plate as a lever on its supporting point and thereby clamp the strap between the upper portion of the clamping plate and the body plate above the slot, and means formed on the clamping plate for preventing the same from falling out of the slot.

11. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body plate for attachment to a support, and having a slot, an offset clamping plate hung in the slot, said clamping plate having an apron formed at its lower end, and supported at the lower edge of the slot so as to rock thereon, and a strap, the body whereof hangs downwardly across the said apron, said strap passing upwardly in a loop hung over the upper edge of the clamping plate, the tension in the body of the strap operating to rock the clamping plate as a lever on its supporting point and thereby clamp the strap between the upper portion of the clamping plate and the body plate above the slot, said clamping plate having projections adjacent its upper portion at its ends and projections adjacent its lower portion at its ends for retaining the clamping plate in the slot.

12. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body plate for attachment to a support and having a slot, an offset clamping plate hung in the slot, said clamping plate having an apron formed at its lower end, and supported at the lower edge of the slot so as to rock thereon, said plates cooperating to clamp a strap hanging over the clamping plate and extending down across the apron and passing up through the slot.

13. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body plate for attachment to a support and having a slot, an offset clamping plate hung in the slot, said clamping plate having an apron formed at its lower end, and supported at the lower edge of the slot so as to rock thereon, said clamping plate having means for preventing the same from falling out of the slot, said plates cooperating to clamp a strap hanging over the clamping plate and extending down across the apron and passing up through the slot.

14. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body plate for attachment to a support, an offset clamping plate, one of said plates having a slot with a substantially horizontal edge, said clamping plate supported at said edge so that the clamping plate is capable of rocking on a substantially horizontal axis at said edge, one of said plates having a clamping edge projecting toward the other plate and removed from said horizontal edge of the slot, a band passing through said slot and between said plates and supported on the ofiset plate so that the body of the band which is under tension exerts a rocking force on the clamping plate operating to rock the same and grip a portion of the band between said plates at said clamping edge.

15. In a garment supporter, the combination of a body plate for attachment to a support, an offset clamping plate, one of said plates having a slot with a substantially horizontal lower edge,

said offset clamping plate having its upper edge located on one side of the body plate and its lower edge located on the other side of the body plate and supported on the said edge of said slot for rocking movement on the body plate, a band passing through said slot and between said plates and passing downwardly over the lower edge of the clamping plate so that the body of the band which is under tension exerts a rocking force on the clamping plate operating to rock the same on said lower edge and grip a portion of the band between said plates.

SAMUEL N. COULTER. 

